Machine for sealing folders



Dec. tl5, 1936.- l w. w. GRIEB Err AL MACHINE FOR SEALING FoLDERs Filed Dec. 18,. 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 15, 1936. w W. GRIEB Er M 2,064,658

y MACHINE FOR SEALING FOLDERS Filed Dec. 18, 1933 Y y4 sheets-shed 2 DeC. 15, 1936. vW Wl GR|EB ET AL 2,064,658v

MCHINE FOP` vSEALING FOLDERS Filed De. 18, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 @77065 d www? Q25/ l 'QXW w. w. GRIEE:v Er AL 2,064,658

- MACHINE FOR SEALING FOLDERS Filed Dec. 18, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l I Si *I I A l 1V @QWMQMM Patented Dec. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE Foa SEALING FoLDEas Application December 18, 1933, Serial No. 702,862

4 Claims.

This invention has to do with machines for automatically attaching gummed seals to paper folders in such a way as to fasten together the open edges of the latter, and is particularly concerned with certain hereinafter disclosed improvements which serve to greatly increase the eiciency of such machines.

The purpose of the present invention, generally stated, is to provide an improved folder sealing machine which is absolutely dependable in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of vthe construction, arrangement and operation of the machine.

In order that the invention may be readily urlderstood, one form of the same is presented herein for the purpose of exemplification, but it. will of course be appreciated that the invention is capable of being embodied in other structurally modified forms coming equally within the contemplated scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan View of the bed of the machine over which the folders are caused to move, observed from approximately the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section through the machine, taken on approximately the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the folder compartments Fig. 5 is a plan View of the die plate in which the seals are cut;

Fig. 6 is a schematic view showing the device for automatically stopping the feeding of the gummed tape to the die and the movement of the cut seals into fastening position upon the failure of a folder to be advanced to the seal at taching position; and

Fig. '1 is a perspective view of a folder, showing the manner in which the machine of the invention applies a seal to the open edges of the folder.

In the particular machine which is shown in the drawings by way of illustration, the folders I to which seals are to be applied are stacked in an inclined chute II with the open edges of the folders uppermost. The folders are urged downwardly in the chute by a weighted follower I2 which is slidably mounted upon laterally spaced guide rods I3, which rods may also serve as guides for the side edges of the folders. In the operation of the machine, the lowermost folder Ill in the chute II is engaged frictionally by a segment I4 of rubber or other suitable material mounted in the otherwise smooth frictionless periphery of a rotating roller I and is moved by reason of such engagement down over the lower upwardly spring-pressed end I6 of the chute into a position between two more rapidly rotating rollers I1, which rollers thereupon deposit the folder on the bed I8 of the machine in the position I9. From the position I9 the folder I0 is slid along the table by two laterally spaced lingers 2l) which project upwardly through slots 2l into engagement with the rear open edges of the folder. The fingers 20, which move first in one direction and then in the other longitudinally of the slots 2|, leave the folder I0 in the position 22 on the bed, in readiness to have applied to the upper rear edge thereof at 23 a gummed seal 24. In being moved from the position I9 to the position 22, the folder I is prevented from shifting sidewise by apair of properly spaced guide strips 25 which are adjustably attached to the bed I8by bolts 26.

The seals which are applied to the folders are cutfby a vertically reciprocating die 21 from a gummed tape 28 which feeds off of a spool' 29 on a spindle 39 onto a similar spool (not shown) `on the spindle 30 behind vthe spool 29. Inapproaching and leaving the die 21, the tape passes -between a pair of feed rolls 3| and a second pair of feed rolls 32. One of the rolls 32 is intermittently rotated a portion of a revolution by an inwardly spring-pressed oscillating pawl 33 which is pivotally mounted on an operating arm 34 in one-way driving engagement with a ratchet wheel 35 connected to the roll, whereby to cause the tape 28 passing between the rolls to advance intermittently beneath the die 21 across the up,- per surface of a coacting die plate 36, which plate has a suitably shaped aperture 31 therein for the reception of the die. The die 21 is detachably connected at 38 to a cross head 39 which is mounted on the upper ends of two laterally spaced vertically reciprocating rods 4I). The die plate 36 is circular in shape and is pvoted at its center on an upright standard 4I, being held against rotation on the standard by an outwardly spring-pressed indexing plunger 42 `which is mounted in a stationary bracket 43 andpro- 'jects into any one of a number of sockets 44 in the periphery of the plate. In addition to the aperture 31, the die plate is provi-ded with a number of apertures 45 of different cross-sec- ,-55

tional congurations for the reception of correspondingly shaped dies when seals are desired which are different in shape or size from the circular ones shown in the drawings. To produce and apply a different seal, it is merely necessary to withdraw the indexing plunger 42, turn the die plate 36 to a position wherein an aperture of the ldesired shape is in vertical register with the die, and substitute a die corresponding in crosssectional shape to that particular aperture, whereupon the machine is ready to cut and apply seals of a different shape. In reciprocating into and out of the aperture 31 of the die plate, the die 21 is guided in its movement by a plate 46 which is rigidly associated with the die plate above the latter. The plate 46 is provided with apertures in alignment with those in the plate 36, and the shank of the die is guided in the particular aperture in the plate 46 which is in register with the aperture in the plate 36 through which the die moves in cutting the seal from the tape. The seal 24, upon being cut by the die 21, is forced downwardly by the bottom of the die onto a carrier 41.

The carrier 41 consists of a hub 48 which is secured to a shaft 49, which shaft is intermittently rotated one-quarter of a revolution by means of a spring-pressed dog which is pivoted to a vertically reciprocating rod 5I for hooked engagement with driving pins 52 associated with the shaft 49. Four spoke-like members 53 project radially from the hub 48 of the carrier and are provided at their ends with sets of two or more sharp pins 54. Upon each partial revolution of the carrier 41, one of the spokes 53 stops in an upright position directly beneath the aperture 31 in the die plate 36, and the die 21, upon passing ldownwardly through such aperture, impales the cut seal upon the pins 54, the upper ends of the pins entering a yieldable insert 55 of cork or other suitable material in the bottom of the die. When the die thereafter moves upwardly, the seal remains in a substantially horizontal position upon the pins 54, and, when the carrier 41 thereafter commences to rotate, the seal moves in a circular path between an inner pair of laterally spaced guide strips 56 which are curved concentrically with respect to the shaft and an outer pair of laterally spaced guide wires 51 which are also curved concentrically with respect to the shaft 49. The tape 28 is arranged with the gummed face thereof uppermost where it passes over the `die plate 36, with the result that the seal is impaled on the pins 54 with the gummed face toward the guide wires 51. As the seal moves downwardly in an arc on the carrier 41, a brush 58, which is supplied with water from a container 59, moistens the gummed face of the seal, and, when the seal reaches a position directly beneath the spindle 49 of the carrier, after having traveled 180, it is stripped olf of the pins 54 by a thin spring presser foot 60 and implanted firmly on the rear upper open edge of the folder at 23. The foot 68 is pivotally mounted at 6I and is oscillated up and down in synchronism with the other moving parts of the machine, the resilient yieldability of the foot insuring sufficient pressure on the top of the seal regardless of small differences in the thickness of the folders being sealed.

After the seal 24 has been applied to the folder, with the latter in the position 22, the folder is engaged by a pair of laterally spaced fingers 62 and slid along the bed I8 across a bridge plate 63 onto a panel 64, where it comes to rest in the position 65 against two laterally spaced gauge pins 66. During the movement of the folder from the position 22 to the position 65, the bridge plate 63, which is pivoted at 61 and is operated in proper synchronism by a rod 68, is momentarily raised into a horizontal position to span a gap present between the end of the bed I8 and the edge of the panel 64. The panel 64 is pivoted at 69 to another panel 10 which is rigidly mounted in a radial position on a hub 1I jcurnaled on a shaft 12. In addition to the panels 64 and 10, the hub 1I carries several other correspondingly mounted sets of panels about its circumference, which panels move consecutively into positions with the lowermost panel 64 in horizontal alignment with the end of the bed I8 upon each partial revolution of the hub. The gauge pins 66 are adjustable with respect to the panels 64 and 10 in order to accommodate folders of different sizes, and are so set as to leave the rear open edges of each folder substantially even with the outer edge of the panel on which it rests.

After the folder has been deposited upon the panel 64, the bridge plate 63 is lowered by the rod 68 and the hub 1I is rotated one-sixth of a` revolution in a clockwise direction, bringing the panel 64 into the position 13 and the next panel into the horizontal positio-n previously occupied by the panel 64 in readiness to receive the next folder. Upon the next partial revolution of the hub 1I, the panel 64 moves from the position 13 to the position 14. During the first part of such movement, a weight 15 connected with the panel 64 reaches a position wherein it overcomes the weight of the panel and swings the panel 64 closed against the panel 1I) upon the interposed folder. Shortly after this occurs, a roller 16 which is mounted on a support 11 comes into contact with a curved cam rail 18 and moves the support 11 in such a way with respect to the end of the panel as to cause a roller 19 mounted on the inner side of the support to bend the projecting portion of the seal 24 reversely about the open edges of the folder, the roller support 11 being pivoted toy a link 80 which is in turn pivoted to a bracket 8l on the panel 10 and being resiliently drawn toward the same during the bending operation by a spring 82. To preclude any possibility of the projecting portion of the seal curling under the roller, a small shield 83 is mounted on the support immediately in front of the roller 19 for straightening out the projecting portion of the seal should it tend to curl.

The roller 19 effectively bends and rolls down the seal into rm engagement with the side of the folder which is opposite that to which the seal was applied by the presser foot 60, and serves to maintain the folded seal pressed against the opposite sides of the folder from the time that the roller 16 comes into engagement with the cam rail 18 until the time, three sealing operations later, when the roller leaves the cam rail at 84. As soon as the roller 16 rides free of the cam rail, the panel 64 separates from the panel 10 under the action of the weight 15 and allows the folder with the then dried seal thereon to drop out onto a moving conveyor 85, which conveyor thereafter deposits the sealed folder in a suitable receptacle 86. In orderv to bend and roll down the Seal in the manner above described, the panel 64 is notched at 81 so as not to obstruct the movement of the roller 19, and the bridge plate 63 is preferably provided with an extending tongue 88 which occupies the notch when the bridge plate is raised into alignment therewith. The hub 1| is rotated by means of an inwardly spring-pressed pawl 89 which engages within teeth in a ratchet disk 90 secured to the hub. The pawl 89 is pivoted to the outer end of a lever 9| which is pivoted to the shaft 12, and the outer end of the lever 9| is in turn pivoted to an operating rod 92.

The several moving parts of the machine may be operated from a motor 93. The motor may be provided with a worm 94 which meshes with a worm gear 95 on a shaft 96, from which shaft all of the parts may be operated. The only continuously moving parts are the rolls I5 and I1,

ywhich may be operated by Worm gears 91 on the ends of a connecting shaft 98. 'I'he remaining parts are all designed for intermittent movement and the operating rods for the same may be connected with the shaft 90 by eccentrics 99.

In the operation of the machine it will be understood that the ngers 20 move the folders from the position I9 to the position 22, while the fingers 62 thereafter move the same folders from the position 22 to the position 05. In returning to their initial positions, the fingers 20 and 62 must move beneath the level of the bed I8 to prevent displacement of the folders on the bed. To accomplish this, the fingers 20 are pivoted to a reciprocating frame |00 at |0|, and are provided with a projection |02 which moves to the right over a pivoted cam rail |03, drops down at the end of the rail and returns to the left under the rail. The projection |02 cams up onto the rail |03 again at the commencement of the next feeding movement. The fingers 62 are pivoted to the same reciprocating frame at |04, and are provided with a counterweight |05 and a projection |06, the latter cooperating with a stationary cam rail |01 having an upwardly yieldable end portion |08. When the fingers 62 are shifted to the right, the projection |06 travels beneath the rail |01 and rides under the downwardly inclined end portion |08 on one end of the rail, and, when the fingers 62 start their return movement, the projection |06 is cammed upwardly by the front beveled edge of the end portion |08, thereby raising the weight |05 and lowering the fingers B2 below the level of the bed.

In order to stop the cutting of the seals by the die 21 and the advancement and moistening of the cut seals by the carrier 41 in the event the feed of the folders is discontinued for any reason, an automatic stopping device is provided. The device consists of a blade |09 which is pivotally mounted above the bed at III). As long as there is a folder on the bed, either in the position I9 or in any intermediate position between I9 and 22, such folder Will hold the blade |09 up off of the bed I8 and prevent the blade from coming into electrical contact with a terminal located ush with the surface of the bed. Should the blade |09 move into contact with the terminal by reason of the absence of a folder on the bed, the electrical circuit of a battery ||2 or other source of current will be closed through two solenoids ||3 and I I4 and the cores of such solenoids will withdraw the previously described pawl 33 and dog 59 into inoperative positions, wherein the pawl and dog will not function to rotate the tape feeding roll 32 and the carrier moving spindle 49 notwithstanding the continued reciprocating movement of the rods operating such members. As soon as a folder is fed into the position I9, however, the circuits of the solenoids |I3 and II4 will be broken and the pawl 33 and dog 50 will proceed to function in the regular way.

We claim:

l. In a folder sealing machine, means for intermittently feeding a gummed tape, a die plate over which the tape is fed, a reciprocating die for cutting seals from the tape through the plate, and a carrier beneath the die plate having upwardly projecting sharp points on which the seal after being cut is impaled by the die.

2. In a folder sealing machine, a die for cutting a gummed seal, a carrier having a sharp point on which the cut seal is impaled, and

guides between which the seal is moved by the carrier in a at condition from the die to a point near the .point of application.

3. In a folder sealing machine, a die for cutting a gummed seal, a carrier having one or more sharp points on which the cut seal is impaled, guides between which the seal is moved by the carrier from the die to a point near the place of application, and means for m'oistening the gummed face of the seal during such movement.

4. In a folder sealing machine, a die for cutting a gummed seal, a rotary carrier having radially projecting points on which the cut seal is impaled, and curved guides between which the seal is moved by the carrier from the die to a point near the point of application of the seal.

WALLACE W. GRIEB. EAROSS J. SIMON. 

